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A REPORT 



TWENTY YEARS EXPERIENCE 



Department of Phystcal EDucATio>;r and 
Hygiene in Amherst College, 



TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 



JUNP: 27, 1881. 



" The ivenker the body is, the more it commands ; the stronger 
it is. (he more it obeys. '^ 



AMHKRST, MASS. : 

Press ok C. A. Bangs & Co., 
1881. 



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in 2011 with funding from 
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A REPORT 



TWENTY YEARS EXPERIENCE 



" (/ 

Department of Physical Education and 
Hygiene in Amherst College, 



TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. ^ 

' JUNE 27, 1881. ^^ ;)lv5 



" There is nothing that a student ought to be more careful about than 
the sound condition of his flesh and blood.'" — Pbof. J. S. Blackie. 



AMHKKST, MASS. : 

Pkess of C. a. Bangs & Co., 

1881. 






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(_^A„A_AA./i^a^v^!LA^ L--^'^-'^ vi''^- 



REPORT 



In presenting a report of the liistor}- of the first twent}' years of the 
Department of Physical Education and Hygiene in Amherst College 
to its Trustees, the first and most natural mention should be made of 
the men who have been the most active in its inception and support. 

To the Trustees of the College this department is chiefly indebted 
not only for its life, but for its success and growth. They have inva- 
riably given it their best counsels and wise supervision, and never has 
a dollar been asked for necessary work or supplies, but that it has been 
readil}" appropriated. And while it was at first with them considered 
an experiment in the College course, they have not ceased to watch it 
with interest and give their best efforts for its success. 

To the wise and patient efforts of President Stearns, this department 
owes its beginning. We know of no thoughts farther back than those 
Ij'ing in his mind which demanded that an education and care of the 
body could and should be maintained in Amherst College at least. 
And up to the latest days of his life, it ever enjoyed his cordial support. 

During all this period also, it has been our good fortune to have the 
services and advice of Dr. Nathan Allen, of Lowell, to maintain what- 
ever has been good and might possibly' be made better in the department. 

Pecuniary aid and personal interest have also been cheerfullj' and 
kindly given b}' the late Hon. E. H. Sawyer, of Easthampton, in 
endowing the Sawyer Prizes, and by John H. Washburn, Esq., of 
New York, in thus far maintaining the Washburn Class Prize, without 
which it hardl}- seems possible that the present good attendance upon 
the exercises could be so full}' and well maintained. And it is pleas- 
ant to announce to you that the same Prize will be continued b}' 
Frederick Gilbert, Esq., of Cincinnati, Ohio, of the class of 1877. 



The Scliolarships maintained by Mr. Birdse3'e Blakeman, of New 
York, and Mr. Henry N. Bigelow, of Clinton, have not only been of 
vahiable service to this department, but they have also each contribu- 
ted aid to worthy students in their college course, who were yet not 
made to feel that they were sustained by charit}'. A. L. Willston, 
Esq., of Florence, Mass., also proposes to sustain a scholarship for 
the benefit of a student giving aid in the music of the gymnastics. 

The latest establishment of the Ladd G3"mnastic Prizes is not the 
least aid which has been furnished us in this branch of the College 
course. The}- are given by Mr. Wm. M. Ladd, of Portland, Oregon, 
a member of the class of 1878. 

In the Fall of 187(3 Mr. Tanaka Fujimaro, Vice Minister of Educa- 
tion in Japan, came to Amherst and witnessed one of our class 
gymnastic exercises, with which lie was so much pleased that the 
following year he requested President Seeh'e to engage and send to 
Japan a man able to introduce the Amherst system of gymnastics to 
the government schools in that countr}'. Dr. George A. Leland, Class 
Captain of '74, was selected and has just completed his contract of 
tliree years service with "high satisfaction to the Government," as 
ofRciall}- communicated to President Seelye. 

The cooperation and help of the students to maintain this depart- 
ment has not been inconsiderable. In no other department of College 
has the management of the students been so much in their own control 
as in this. And, with the gradual letting go of many pett}- rules with 
which this work began twenty years ago, only good results have thus 
far been obtained. Up to the present time there has not been an 
instance of a class captain who has been dislo\'al or unfaithful to his 
work. 

Theie arc a few members of 3'our Board who may remember some 
performances preliminarj' to the establishment of this branch of the 
College Curriculum about twenty-one years ago, when in Village 
Church, upon an elevated platform, before a large and interested 
audience. Dr. Winship exhibited himself as able to lift with his hands 
and shoulders immense weights. The hardware stores in town were 
levied upon to loan their casks of nails and spikes, the old iron of the 
College cellar was brought out, and all to enable Dr. Winship to show 
how much he could lift. And these feats, remarkable as they surely 
were, were then considered as indications of health, and held up to 
the students as the means for the true hygiene of college life. Soon 
the Gymnasium was equipped with apparatus, not the lightest of which 



were one hundred pound dumb-bells, and apparatus b}' which a 3'oung 
man could be induced to try and lift a ton ; and the dumb-bells for 
class exercises weighed ten pounds each. But at this time it was the 
prediction of Dr. Dio Lewis that we soon should adopt the lighter 
dumb-bells for exercise and discard the immense in muscular effort, 
which has proved true, for now we use bells that weigh two pounds 
to the pair, and the original lifting machines are in the pile of scrap iron. 

The idea of ph3'sical culture has too often been that great muscular 
development is the only essential element in it, and the fact is indeed 
true that the really well man is muscularly strong. And for valetu- 
dinarians, for those who are able to give very much of their time, 
means and thought for their own health, who can give a large share of 
their energy and thought to self culture and preservation, without 
doubt the muscular system is the principal one to be attended to. But 
the problem to be solved by us has been what arrangement of required 
muscular exercise and recreation combined is the best for our students 
as a whole. In what wa}- can we best help them to keep body and 
mind working harmoniousl}^ and effectually together? How shall the 
man pli3-sically be made efficient so that the intellectual, moral and 
spiritual may at the same time secure its full development? 

In order that our students be in the best condition for work it seems 
demanded that the muscles be not trained to their highest powers. 
For, the most healthful and intellectual men are not those who have the 
most muscular power. The}' are often well developed men, it is true, 
and of excellent physical inheritance, but they are not muscle men. 

Plwsical culture as expressed to Amherst College Students b}- the 
experience of the past twenty years means something besides, some- 
thing in addition to muscular exercise. It includes cleanliness of skin, 
attention to stomach and bowels, relaxation from daily mental work, 
freedom from certain kinds of pett}" discipline, but with so much 
requirement and restraint as will give coherence, respect and stability 
to the methods of maintaining health and the men employing them. 

The wav in which students here are called upon to secure health, and 
its correct and normal maintenance for college requirements, is to be 
sure of some active, livel}', and vigorous muscular exercise at stated 
periods ; not requiring a rigid militar}' or hardening drill of certain 
portions of the bod}', but offering them such exercises as shall while 
regularh' obtained be vigorous, pleasant, recreative, and at the same 
time, even without a manifest consciousness of it, be calling into exer- 
cise their powers in active, vigorous, easy, and graceful movements. 



Light wooden dumb-bells, weighing about one pound each, are placed 
in the hand, and then a series of movements are directed and timed 
by music, occupying in all from 20 to 30 minutes each day, which are 
simultaneouslj' performed by a whole class under the lead of the 
Captain. 

Believers in heavy gymnastics are apt to regard our exercises as 
perhaps well enough for girls and children, because they are onl}- the 
swinging of one pound dumb bells for less than half an hour. And 
they would -reflect upon the exercise and call it calisthenics, and not 
dignify it by the term gymnastics. To this we would only say, "what's 
in a name ? " If calisthenics onl}' accomplishes what we need, our wants 
are satisfied. And we doubt if some of those who " pooh, pooh" light 
dumb bell exercises are conscious of their utterances, or ever have 
swung even those wooden dumb bells with the vigor and energy of a 
College class, to a polka or an}' livel}' music, with the metronome at 
90 " for a continuous exercise. For certain it is that the young men at 
the close of one of these exercises, with the temperature at 60'' have 
ordinarily secured moisture on the skin, are breathing full and deepl}', 
the blood circulates, the abdominal viscera are sufficiently stimulated, 
and their muscles are limber and elastic ; the}' have gained good exer- 
cise, and the whole man has the feeling that he has worked in a 
physical way, and yet is not exhausted. The whole body in the loose 
and easy uniform, unconstrained by a rigid piece of apparatus, is 
given a freedom of action which cannot be acquired by the stolid march, 
or the consti-aint of either fixed or many kinds of movable gymnastic 
apparatus ; and lastly, the students generally feel, with all, that they 
have had a good time. And the mental and social freedom allowed 
and encouraged in these exercises conduces to the rapid and healthful 
evaporation of superfluous animal spirits, generated by the physical 
and mental confiuement of stud}'. 

And while our methods are not so perfect as might be devised with 
"more complete apparatus and better men to direct, if health of College 
be the only thing to be considered, they do seem to be good as far as 
they go ; enough for the large majority, and of some service to all. 
And though there are some in every 40 or 50 }'Oung men among us 
who would be undoubtedly better for more stern and rigid discipline, 
yet College seems, with its present appliances and the time which can 
be taken for physical care and guidance, to be doing the best thing it 
can for the bulk of the students, in the matter of required exercises. 
And the rapid, easy, vigorous, and rythmical movements of a class, 



guided and timed b}- music, with a light bell in each hand, heavy enough 
to require an appreciable muscular resistance, is what has been proven 
in Amherst College for twenty years a means of greatly promoting the 
health of the students. 

During the first few years of our work, the simpler and easier forms 
of heavy gymnastic work were required of all the class ; every man 
was expected to practice heavy gymnastics under direction of the 
leader, one of the class. This became very tedious work, irksome and 
impossible for some men to do except with such effort, moral and 
physical, as was injurious to be put on a large part of every class. Not 
all the men could, with advantage to themselves, make a vault, 
turn handsprings, take " dips," " walk grasshopper," or perform many 
other gymnastic feats, an}' more than every man could dance gracefuU}^ 
or lift enormously. But it was found out that the men who were sound 
in all four of their limbs and eyesight could go through movements 
enough with wooden dumb bells to secure the necessary' muscular waste 
and development for healthful study, and hence no requirement for 
heavy gymnastic work has been made of any student for the past fifteen 
years. At the same time there are a few who take as naturally' to 
heavy gj'mnastics, and as profitably too, as ducks to water, and these 
are allowed and encouraged to reasonable efforts in this direction. 
These at first are guided and watched, but the^' are at length - 
allowed and expected to go on with their exercise in this direction at 
their own discretion, save with the aid of one of the older classes who 
has shown himself the best gymnast in College. ^ 

And once during each year a prize exhibition is held, when the indi- 
vidual students ma}' compete with each other in heavy gymnastics, and 
the classes ma}' show their proficiency in light exercises with dumb 
bells and marching. For the first few years, the morning hour was 
secured as the best time for the physical exercises of the College. And 
while in theory, and perhaps fact, this is the best time for exercise, 
yet the hour of early evening, between daylight and darkness, has come 
to be the time which we have of late most largely employed for 
gymnastics. At this hour the mind is weary from study, and if 
this work has been faithfully attended to, both the body and the 
mind demand physical exercise. Besides this, the relief tothe eyes 
at this hour of the twenty-four is no inconsiderable reason why the 
twilight hour is considered by us as the approprhite and valuable one 
for gymnastic exercise. 



It seems that we are warranted in saying that some of the vices so 
incident to 3'oiing men are comparatively rare among our students- 
Perliaps this is due largely to the moral and religious influences of the 
College, but we believe it is not boastful to say that it is in part owing 
'' to the regular habits of physical exercise and recreation, and instruc- 
tion in the Department of Pliysical Education and Hygiene, and to 
information given here on subjects of great im[)ortance to .young men. 
and yet too often entirely ignored. 

Statistical Work and Results. 

One of the first duties I felt called upon to perform after your 
appointment to this Professorship, was to prepare blanks for several 
anthropometric observations of the students of college. This I did 
partly to enable the students to learn by 3'early comparison of them- 
v/ selves how they were getting on as regards the physical man. The 
ulterior object, however, was to help ascertain what are the data or 
V constants of the typical man, and especially the college man. I hove 
conceived no theory on the subject, and have instituted but veiT few 

V generalizations ; but my desire has been to carefulh' compile and put 
on record as many of these observations as possible for comparison 
and verification of statistical work in this same direction b}- many 
other persons in America and Europe. 

In many of the final results of these twenty years data it is inter- 
esting to find a general correspondence to the established data of 
more numerous measurements of the human body, and in the variation 
from authorities of large experience we find the ditferences as a whole 
in favor of the student. These- results seem to show that we must 
expect different physical characteristics in those who pursue the schol- 
/ arl}' life, from others whose occupations are unlike them in so many 
waj^s, and when properly understood and carried out we belie\'e that 

V the adA'^antages will be found on the side of the scholarl}' life. 

In the fall of 1861, I took measurement of all the college students 
in seven particulars, and have faithfully made these examinations of 
almost every sound man since connected with the college up to the 
present date. The measurements are made of the Freshmen soon 
v after entering, and are repeated upon them near the end of each yecir 
of the course. Thus every man who goes through college has been 
observed five times. These observations during the first year were 
the Age, Weight, Height, Chest Girth, Arm Girth, Fore-arm Girth 
and Body Lift. The second 3'ear the Capacity of the Lungs was 



9 

added, and for the last five years, the Finger Reach, and the Chest 
Expansion, and for the last two 3'ears the Comparative Strength of 
the two hands. 

The Age is taken in 3'ears and months from the last birthday. 

The Weight is secured in pounds and decimals of a pound, with 
the clothing averaging 3.50 pounds, which is not deducted in the gen- 
eral results. 

The Height has always been taken in feet and decimals of a foot in 
slippers, for which we should deduct 1-7 of an inch. The decimals of 
a foot are preferred to inches and fractions, in order most exacth' to 
place the men in position in the class line in gymnastic exercises, but 
in the subjoined tables the results are given in inches. The student 
stands with his muscles at rest upon a smooth board, with his back 
against a perpendicular support, the heels, buttocks, shoulders and 
head touching it, and the eyes directed b}' an easy glance upon the 
floor thirt}' feet distant. A sliding index is dropped from above with 
sufficient pressure to overcome the elasticity of the hair of the head. 

Chest Girth has been ascertained by a cotton or metallic tape 
graduated in inches and quarters. The tape is passed around the 
chest just beneath the arm pits, touching the lower angle of the shoul- 
der blade and drawn around the bodj- parallel with the floor, generally 
coming a little above the nipple. Then the student is told to inflate 
the lungs to their utmost capacity, keeping the shoulders down and 
back. As soon as the observation is made, he is told to exhaust as 
completel}' as possible, keeping the shoulders fixed still. The average 
between the two is the record, and the difference the chest expansion. 

Arm Girth is determined b}^ a tape drawn around the bell}' of the 
biceps and measured when the muscle is on its hardest contraction, 
with the forearm at a small angle to the arm. 

Forearm Girth is secured by bending the arm at right angles to 
the forearm, contracting the muscles of the latter and passing the tape 
at the inner angle of the elbow in a plane parallel to the direction of 
the upper arm. 

By Lung Capacity is meant a measure of the total amount of air 
which the student can force into a receiver after the lungs have been 
completeh' filled. 

The Body Lift is indicated by the number of times the student 
can draw the chin up to the point of support, when hanging in free 
air from some point of support, and fully extending the arms alter 
each lift. 



10 

The Finger Reach is the extreme distance between the tips of the 
fingers when extended laterall}' against the wall with the face against 
the wall. It is measured like the height. 

The CoBiPARisoN OF Right and Left Hand Strength is ascertained 
by squeezing together in either hand two handles kept apart b^- a 
spiral, spring graduated in pounds. 

During twenty years past, 1861-2 to 1880-1 inclusive, measurements 
have been made of 2,106 different men on at least one occasion 
and each one of these has furnished a series of measures of the px)rtions 
of his body as already described. 

Table No. 1 shows the anthropometric relations of the students by 
classes and as a college. It gives the averages of the men as measured, 
man}' of them, at intervals of one year each ; grouped by college 
classes it is true, and j'ct showing purely anthropometric relations. It 
not only gives the statistics of the average class man but it also gives 
the average of the man by the year of his life. The mean of a few 
items of the whole college is also appended to this table, which is seen 
more full}' carried out in Table No. 3. 

Table No. 2 exhibits the largest and smallest measures of each item 
of our total statistics of the twenty years. 

Table No. 3 shows the means, not averages, of all our measurements. 
An average is the sum of all the values divided b}' the number of the 
observations, while a mean is a natural and easily recognizable central 
magnitude, all differences from which are deviations from a standard. 
It is the value at which the largest observations occur, and is graphi- 
cally represented by a curve — the binomial curve. The average reduces 
all magnitudes to the same standard and gives no idea of the tA'pical 
or complete magnitude, while the mexm stands at the top of a curve 
descending both ways. The mean measures show what are the 
measures of the typical student, while the averages reduce all students 
to the same magnitude. 

The Health of College, so far as figures and statistics can show 
it, must be represented by data of the sickness of students, and like 
the anthropometric observations, those of sickness are made from all 
the students, and by yearly reckonings. During these twenty years 
5443 different entries, not huUvichials, have been ou the Annual 
Catalogues. Of this number 1365 were entered on the sick list, rep- 
resenting those who during their course have been absent from all 
college duties on account of sickness for more than two consecutive 
days in term time. This gives a per cent, of the students by entries 



11 

as at one or more times disabled by illness, of 25.26. A noticeable 
point appears in the record of sickness as possibly showing the health- 
fulness of college life. It is the decrease of illness from Freshman to 
Senior year. The data are given in Table No. 4, but the fact of 
interest is that while the per cent, of Freshmen sick is 29.30, that of 
the Senior year is 19.05. 

It may be thought, however, that as classes decrease in numbers 
perhaps the diminution of sickness is only on a par with the numerical 
falling off of the classes. But while the health increase of the course 
is 10.18 per cent., the natural dropping out is onl}- 5.95 per cent. 

The TIME LOST BY SICKNESS as averagcd on everj- student is 2.65 
days yearly. This of course is constructively applied. Although but 
1375 students are recorded on the sick list, yet the number of cases of 
sickness recorded is 1725. This means that some have been on the 
sick list two or more times, or 25 per cent, of the whole sick number ; 
and the amount of time actually lost from college exercises by each 
of the sick men has been 10.39 da^-s on the average. 

The MALADIES OF COLLEGE LIFE are those of youth and not debility 
or infirmities. As would be expected, colds and slight lung difficul- 
ties are the most numerous, constituting nearly one half of the whole 
amount, and while ph3'sical injuries stand second on the list of causes, 
it is instructive to learn that no serious or permanent injury has ever 
happened from the Gymnastic exercises, required or voluntary. 

A natural inquiry is, if many of the students have left college on 
ACCOUNT OF ILL HEALTH. The poiut is uot SO casy to settle as are 
many others in hygiene or College management^ since so often ill 
health is only a partial factor in the reason for discontinuing a college 
course. A student not infrequently is disappointed in money matters, 
class standing, society relations, disinclination for a special stud}', or 
kindred reasons, so that he is ready to say he is so ill that he cannot 
continue in college, and therefore our statistics in this direction, tliough 
secured with care and thought, are not considered as representing the 
whole case. Seventy, however, are reported as having left college on 
account of physical disability, or more than three each year. Of these, 
however, twenty-two or less than one third of the whole number have 
reentered and graduated with a class next to the one which they first 
entered. Or, to put it numerically, 48 out of 2,106, or 2.27 per 
cent, of our students failed in their college course on account of sick 
ness. Do the records of other occupations appear more favorably? 



12 

B}- tiie laws of viability, or chance of life in males from birth, as 
established by census returns and life insurance, tables, this " chance' 
of life," the world over, decreases from the ages of 15 or 16 on to 25, 
then rises to 30, and then falls to the end of our existence. Or, the 
curve of viability ascends rapidly from birth to 15 or 16 years, and 
then slowly descends to old age. But by the Health Records of our 
students we find a variation from this law, since we learn that sickness 
diminishes in our life here from 18 to 22 ^-ears of age. This fact, 
with some others already mentioned, discriminates in favor of the 
healthfulness of student life. 

An item of record in the statistics of this Department has been that 
of Users of Tobacco. A man is called a tobacco user if he ever can or 
does smoke a pipe, a cigar or cigarette, or chew tobacco with pleasure 
to himself. This record is only complete for the 14 years past : — 
The percentage for all college years is, 28,92 

" Seniors, 39.00 

" " ■ Juniors, 31.28 

" " Sophomores, 25.78 

Freshmen, 19.64 

The query suggested is, does it increase in all classes of society in 
this or a similar ratio. 

In table No. 5 are to be found the anthropometric data arranged" to 
show their relations to age alone. Upon this table nine-tenths of the 
labor of compiling all these statistics has been bestowed, and yet but 
little need be said. And while our results do not exactly correspond 
with those of Quetlet, Baxter, and Bowditch, especially in the advanced 
years, we think it is owing to our scantiness of data in comparison with 
theirs, as well as the fact that the college student element in societ}' is 
quite a ditferent one from that of the arm}' or the common school chil- 
dren. From their ditferent trainings and surroundings, we ought to ex- 
pect some variation in physical qualities. And we are strengthened in 
this conclusion from the results as shown from Table 4, indicating a 
decrease in sickness during the college course. " 

Another subject illustrated by this Department and its statistics is 
the amount ofgrozvth, and is seen in Table No. 6. This embraces many 
of the students who have completed 'the course, or given the data at 
entering and graduating, with a dilference in time of three years and 
six months, and an age of 19.2 and 22.11. 749 men have been 
measured, and these have furnished 5160 items of the seven ditferent 
points of observation. Of all these men measured, 26.15 per cent give 
an increase in all the items during the whole period observed. And 
47.39 per cent of the men show some of the same measurements at 



13 

Senior as at Freshman year. And it is not the oldest or those least 
developed in whom this occurs. And 53.40 per cent give one or more 
items less at Senior than Freshman 3'ear, and 28.17 per cent give one or 
more items less, and also one or more the same. Of the items measured, 
however, a different showing is made. The average of the whole 5160 
items shows 76.97 percent increased during the course, 13.58 per cent 
less at the end of the course, and 9.43 per cent the same as at entrance 
to college, and it will be seen that some men give both increased and 
diminished items : some items may be smaller and some items be lar- 
ger at the' same time. The average increase of the 26 per cent of these 
in tueight, has been 12.27 lbs., 1.05 inches in height, 1.45 in chest girth, 
0.85 inches in arm girth, 0.685 in forearm girth, 28.4 cubic inches in 
lung capacity, and nearl}' 4.50 times in body lift. This is what the 
college student may expect to grow from the 19th to 2od j'ears of his 
life. The items and points of increase may be found in Table No. 6. 

A part of the work in this department is instruction in the general 
Laws of Health, and Anatom}', and Phj'siology. The lectures in health 
are given the first term of Freshman year, and the subjects are those 
which speciall}' pertain to student life, such as exercise, food, use of 
alcohol and tobacco, care of the eyes, the relation of body to mind, 
and kindred matters. 

The instruction in human Anatomy and Physiology is given by- 
study of a text book, a printed abstract, and illustrative lectures. 
Much of the illustration is aided by the clastic models of Auzoux, 
nearly $1,000 worth of which have been given to the college within 
the past few years. This study is taken up early in the Sophomore 
3^ear. Optional study in comparative vertebrate Zoology has been 
carried on in addition to other work, and can be well illustrated b}^ 
the collections in Appleton Cabinet. 

A long stride in favoring the individual hygiene of the students is 
the recent erection of water closets and urinals ; and it is not boastful 
or invidious to say that there are no material appurtenances of college 
more complete or perfectly constructed according to modern ideas of 
sanitary science than are these. And to supplement these great neces- 
sities and comforts, a Health Building with its apparatus and appli- 
ances, stands first and foremost. Not merel}' a G3'mnasium, with 
means for developing the muscles, — and we want an improvement on 
our present one in this respect, — but the ability to attend to other 
matters of personal hygiene, such as cannot at present be satisfactorily 
found in the college dormitory or the boarding house. Bathing can 



14 

not now be secured b}' the student without great exposure, discomfort 
and expense. No greater material benediction could now be given to 
the college, which every student and the parents who send their sons 
here would feel, than the dropping down upon us of a well appointed 
•' health building, and it must surely come before long. 

In athletic sports, rowing, base and foot ball, and college games 
generallj', this Department has ever given encouraging though not 

V inciting words. We have encouraged home sports and games, and not 
stimulated the young men to enter into the hot and violent contests 
with professional gamesters. With the example of the oldest and 
largest colleges, and with the comity, rivalry, and good fellowship so 
largely existing, it is but natural that our college should desire to com- 
pare its muscle and wind with those in similar positions. We have 
had several trials and been as successful as we ought to expect with 
smaller numbers to select trom, and some disadvantages incident to 
our geographical location. 

In our home athletic sports we have taken a deeper interest. The 

V annual and semi-annual field days have always been well attended, 
both by contestants and spectators, and we have a good record. And 
the preparation and participation in these contests, this Department 
has ever regarded as a full equivalent for the required Gymnasium 

V exercises, as they are always undertaken under leaders or directors, 
who have carried them through with systematic and thorough drill. 
And for the training of all the students, it seems clear that there are a 
certain number who must have these hard and severe tests in develop- 

ying and maintaining their powers up to their best possibilities. 

Besides the regular class exercises, as required, and the heaA^}' work 
as encouraged and allowed, there are alwa3's a few who need special 
.. exercise and advice. These are attended to as well as our limited 
apparatus will allow. But in the coming near future when we can see 
an enlarged and vvell equipped health building, we may then hope for 
advanced hygienic development in the i'ew who require special training 
to secure the normal and healthful development. 

All of which is respectfull}' submitted, 

EDWARD HITCHCOCK. 

Amherst College, Amherst, Mass., 
Barrett Gtjmnasuim, June 27, 18S1. 



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h-1 








■^ 












• 


fe 


■^J 







o 




^• 


^ 


CO 


o 


bJ3 




O) 


a 


<D 


H 


-2 


=3 


-t-3 
72 


h^ 


o 


O 


M3 


pq 


02 


-o" 


c3 
h-1 


<1 


2 
^ 






o 


<? 


■73 




w 
































Qi 


-u 


Oil 












O 


o 


M 




CO 


4-= 






-l-> 


CO 












o 




a 




-S 


o 


Qi 














^tJ 


<r, 




'^ 


1-^ 






CO 
O 


be 


O 




I— 1 




ID 
+3 












o 


-tj 


T3 



^ bp 3 
(^ bD S 



Per Cent. 














strongest with 


CO 




CD 
C5 


CD 


UO 
C5 




Right Hand. 
















CO 


OO 


lO 


'Tt^ 


o 




Left Hand 


^ 


crs 


o 


CO 


lO 




Strength. 


«o 


id 


CD 


CO 


id 






00 


00 


GO 


CO 


CO 






(M 


Ci 


O 


CO 


o 




Right Hand 


o 


CJ5 


■^ 


GO 


CD 




Strength. 


CN 


CO 


d 


l^ 


d 






Oi 


CO 


Oi 


GO 


CO 




Chest 


00 


CO 


lO 


O 


-M 






i-H 


CO 


-*l 


q 


<^' 




Expansion. 


CO 


CO 


CO 


CO 


CO 












o 






Finger 


03 
t^ 


CO 

t^ 


o 
1^ 


o 

CD 


o 

CD 




Reach. 


ci 


ci 


CI 


d 


d 






O 


CO 


CD 


o 


CD 






CO 


1—1 


CO 


1—1 


lO 


o 




CO 


CO 


lO 


CD 


Ol 


o 


Body Lift. 




1—1 


d 


GO 


o 






^ 


1—1 


1— i 




■^ 


T— 1 




lO 


t^ 


OO 


CO 


Ci 


o 


Lung 


o 


o 


(M 


q 


t^ 


q 


Capacity. 


lO 


o 

lO 




CO 
CO 


-* 


d 

CO 




(t<l 


(M 


<M 


<M 


(M 


(M 




,_! 


t^ 


CD 


o 


C<l 




Forearm 


(M 


o 


o 


CO 


o 




Girth. 


^H 


^ 


^ 


d 


^ 






1— 1 


rH 


1—1 


1—1 


1—1 






L^ 


(M 


o 


CO 


o 


lO 




t- 


t^ 


CD 


(M 


1—1 


CM 


Arm Girth. 










• 






i-H 


1—1 


1—1 


1-H 


1—1 


1—1 




T-t 


I— I 


1—1 


1—1 


I— 1 


1—1 




t- 


1—1 


•^ 


CD 


o 


o 


Chest Girth. 


cn 


CD 


"*. 


t- 


^. 


uo 




»o 


id 


>d 


'^ 


id 


id 




CO 


CO 


CO 


CO 


CO 


CO 




^ 


CD 


CO 


CO 


CD 


o 


Height. 


Cl 


CO 


lO 


CO 


CD 


lO 




t^ 


t-^ 


l>^ 


l>^ 


E^ 


1>^ 




<x> 


CD 


CD 


CD 


CD 


CD 




C5 


C3 


Ci 


Oi 


'^ 


o 




1— ( 


lO 


CO 


1—1 


00 


q 


Weight. 


G<i 


d 


C5 


CO 


CO 


1—1 




^ 


•^ 


CO 


CO 


CO 


CO 




1-H 


^ 


1—1 


1-^ 


1—1 


'—1 




•^ 


t- 


t^ 


^ 


o 




Age. 


(M 


00 


>o 


CO 


1—1 






c^ 


1—1 


d 


d 


•^A 






(M 


<^^ 


C<J 


^H 


CM 




Number 


CO 

T— 1 


00 


CO 

CD 


CTJ 
CO 


CO 




Observed. 


1— 1 


1—1 


^ 


-<Tl 


o 






t— 1 


T— I 


1—1 


1—1 


lO 






1 


1 


• 


1 


13 


• 












gj 










E» 






rO 




' 


' 


Pi 
o 




s 

?> 

^ 


^ 

^ 




o 


o 


o 
B 


<i 


<i3 


St 






>-i 


CO 


"as 


^' 




s 


5? 


Ph 


u 


{^ 


r^ 




« 


O 


O 


« 


_o 


a 




CO 


•-5 


CO 


p^ 


o 



16 



TABLE No. 2. 

Showing the INTaxiina and Minima of eveiy measurement of tiie 
2106 students observed. 





2 S > 


5 ■'cfT 


1— 1 1— t 
CD ^ 


Ciiest Girtli 

in 

Inches. 


> 

3 3 


S^3 


Lung 
Capacity 

in 
Cubic In. 






a s o 
o c '^ 


Maxima, 


35.6 


216 


76.5 


43. 


15.5 


15. 


426 


65 


81.10 


5.50 


Minima, 


15.3 


84 


58. 


27.25 


8. 


8.25 


115 


2 


48., 


1.50 



TABLE No. 3. 

The 3fean Observations of the measures of Amherst College Stu- 
dents for twent\' years, from a total of 34,384. 



















:;-'-i 








f- CD 


^ 


3 a 






^ 


2.C 




En 


5" 


a? 

"< o 


g; 


^ el- 


Q 








o 




CD 


3 'a 


CD 








^ 






••"s 




• 3* 




CD ^ 




lg 




175 


69 


72 


104 


40 


61 


14 


44 


340 


53 


21 


88 


167 


105 


71 


291 


39 


165 


13.5 


81 


320 


94 


20 


176 


159 


238 


70 


385 


38 


394 


13 


323 


300 


275 


18 


372 


151 


490 


69 


808 


37 


704 


12.5 


602 


,280 


608 


16 


610 


143 


798 


68 


955 


36 


1079 


12 


1117 


260 


871 


14 


790 


135 


1157 


67 


986 


35 


1164 


11.5 


1205 


240 


1287 


12 


940 


127 


1198 


66 


790 


34 


1098 


11 


1245 


220 


1275 


10 


1075 


119 


982 


65 


571 


33 


682 


10.5 


658 


200 


732 


8 


796 


111 


487 


64 


371 


32 


310 


10 


316 


180 


379 


6 


590 


103 


163 


63 


208 


31 


104 


9.5 


77 


160 


148 


4 


302 


95 


46 


62 


65 


30 


41 


9 


17 


140 


39 


2 


120 




5733 


5534 


5812 


5685 


5761 


5859 



17 



TABLE No. 4r. 



Data of Student Sickness and Pliysical Disability for nineteen years 
and nine months in Amherst College. 

Student's names on the annual Catalogues 1861 to 1881 inclusive, 
5443. 





Names on 

An'l Catalogues 

for 20 years. 


Names 

on 

Sick List. 


Per Cent 

of each Class to 

whole College. 


Per Cent of 

Sickness in each 

Class to whole 

College. 


Seniors, 
Juniors, 
Sophomores, 
Freshmen, ' 


1192 
1270 
1465 
1516 


260 
319 
386 
400 


21.90 
23.33 
26.92 

27.85 


19.05 
23.37 
28.28 
29.30 




'5443 


1365 


100.00 


100.00 



Students on the sick list, - - 1375 

Cases (not individuals) of sickness, - 1725 

Cases on sick list more than once in the year, 350 
Per cent of college on the sick list, - 25.26 

The Maladies of the students, and their proportion, when it equals 
one or more per cent of the whole. Tliis is the number of ca.ses, not 
students. 



Maladies. 


Per Cent. 


Maladies. 


Per Cent. 


Colds, Pneumonia, 




Liver and bilious, 


2.3 


Bronchitis, &c.. 


37.4 


Neuralo'ia, 


1.8 


Phvsical injuiy, 


8.8 


Malaria, 


1.7 


Febriculffi, 


4.8 


Mumps, 


1.7 


Eyes — weak and sore. 


4.7 


Diphtheritic, 




Quinsv and sore throat. 


4.6 


Measles, 


1 4 1 


Boils, 


4.1 


Teeth, 




General inability, 


3.1 


Stomach, 




Ty]:)]ioid fever. 


3.1 


Overwork, 


1.0 


Bowels, 


2.6 







18 



TABLE No. 5. 

The measures of Weight, Height, Chest, Arm Girth, Lung 
Capacity, and Body Lift of 2,106 different students of Amherst Col- 
lege, arranged by age. 



Age. 


Number 

of 

Obsei-vations. 


Weight. 


Height. 


Chest. 


Arm. 


Lung 
Capacity. 


Body 
Lift. 


17 


330 


131.99 


66.60 


33.87 


11.12 


224.8 


8.58 


18 


1172 


134.07 


66.96 


35.10 


11.36 


238.7 


10.35 


19 


1511 


135.84 


67.30 


35.38 


11.52 


240.3 


10.82 


20 


1358 


138.12 


67.95 


35.52 


11.57 


248.8 


10.97 


21 


1171 


140.00 


68.01 


35.58 


11.69 


250.1 


10.84 


22 


807 


141.07 


68.11 


35.98 


11.77 


250.8 


10.92 


23 


559 


141.21 


68.31 


36.29 


11.71 


257.0 


10.63 


24 


362 


142.42 


68.44 


37.23 


11.74' 


261.0 


10.62 


25 


216 


145.12 


68.68 


36.66 


11.79 


263.6 


10.11 


26 


141 


144.91 


68.82 


37.46 


11.81 


262.5 


10.71 


27 


71 


144.40 


68.30 


36.95 


11.84 


268.4 


10.37 


28 


30 


140.71 


68.52 


36.28 


11.57 


269.8 


8.51 


29 


19 


142.68 


68.09 


36.41 


11.51 


260.5 


9.86 


30 


18 


146.50 


69.19 


36.70 


11.61 


279.5 


7.50 



TABLE INTo. 6. 

Giving the measures of 749 students of Amherst College at two 
intervals of three years and six months, and at an average age of 19 
years and two months at the first observation, showing their phj'sicai 
development during this period. 

Number of ?He?i measured, 749 Percent. 

" "• increased in all items, 196 26.15 

" '' de(;reased in some items, 401 53. '40 

" " both same and increased items, 355 47.39 

" " " " decreased items, 211 28.17 

Number of items secured, 5160 

" '■' showing increase, ' 3972 76.97 

" " same Freshman and Senior year, 487 9.43 

" " less on Senior year, 701 13.58 



'g^ 





>^ 


a C: 


s* 




c P ^ 






-- t^ 








~p 


oSE 






?t^ 



Greatest individual gain, 
Averages of increased men, 
Per ct. of decreased items, 



56 
12.27 

11.00 



6 

1.05 

0.00 



G.50 

1.45 

20.31 



4 3.50 

0.S53 0.685 
13.46 25.27 



1.34 
28.4 
14.64 



4.50 
20.13 



' >.'' ' 



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